Low Octane Libations: “cocktails are balanced libations that bring people together to celebrate life.”

This good-lookin’ crew was my panel from Tales of the Cocktail. We had assembled to talk about “Low Octane Libations” — and although I’ve long been a fan of lower-alcohol cocktails, there’s nothing like hearing the gospel straight from the bartenders. In retrospect, I think this topic hit a sweet spot, sandwiched among seminars and tasting events that focused on vermouth, sherry and other lower alcohol options, and I’ve been tickled to see post-Tales roundups listing “lower alcohol” as a trend in the making.

Although I was preoccupied with moderating the panel, I did manage to scribble down some insightful comments from the panelists. Highlights included:

Amanda Boccato, brand ambassador from Lillet, noted that “historical cocktails can be reinvented using lower proof spirits as the base, such as a Lillet Julep.” Unprompted, later on in the session Joaquin Simo of Pouring Ribbons noted that he had tried out a Lillet Julep spiked with Green Chartreuse. “It was so good,” he said.

This comment, from Greg Best of Holeman and Finch: “As stewards of cocktail culture, we’re obligated to define cocktail culture endlessly. No one ever said it has to be boozy with bitters – there’s no rule.” Then he paused to define what cocktails are: “Balanced libations that bring people together to celebrate life.” The audience applauded!

Joaquin Simo on the rising phenomenon of Bartender’s Choice cocktails: “It’s an opportunity to bring out that coffee-infused vermouth – not Red Stag. If [guests] are giving you that much latitude, let’s not abuse it.”

Kirk Estopinal’s Pineau de Charentes Cobbler. All the cocktails were top-notch (and props to our Cocktail Apprentice leader, Christopher George and his team for making that so), but I especially loved how he defined the garnish: as “good snacks on top.” His cobbler was topped with a quarter-wheel of lemon, sprinkled with bitters and then sugar. How to get more guests at bars drinking cobblers? Here’s Simo’s idea: “Tell them the Cobbler was the Cosmo of the 1800s.”

Here’s the drink recipe:

Pineau de Charentes Cobbler (Kirk Estopinal, Bellocq)

1 1/2 oz Ferrand Pineau de Charentes

1/2 oz lemon juice

1/2 oz simple syrup (1:1)

¾ oz Calvados or Cognac

Boston Bitters-coated lemon pieces, for garnish

Powdered sugar, for garnish

Add all (except garnishes) to a tin and shake hard with big ice. Strain over crushed ice and top with garnish.

6 thoughts on “Low Octane Libations: “cocktails are balanced libations that bring people together to celebrate life.””

One of the things that became clear to me researching my book was that a lot of those classics aren’t necessarily reinventions when low-alcohol ingredients are the primary ingredient. Remember: the Champagne Julep goes back to the 19th century.

It’s great to see bartenders and spirits makers bringing their creativity to the whole spectrum of drink strength after many heavily-boozed decades.

Thanks, Kara! Joaquin’s beautiful sherry drink, Flor de Jerez, is in the book as well as some quotes from him (including on the Sherry Cobbler, of course!) and I give Kirk’s variation, The Search for Delicious, along with the recipe for Stephen Cole’s Bitter Giuseppe.